Winona Ice Park hopes to draw visitors during winter season

Strap on your crampons and grab your ice pick tools! A new ice park in Winona is giving adventurers and tourists the thrill of scaling the city's iconic bluffs.

The Winona Ice Park is located above Highway 61, west of Wood Lawn Cemetery on West Lake Boulevard. This is the first year the park is open to the public, though the idea has been in the works for more than three years.

Ross Greedy, the outdoor recreation coordinator for the Winona Parks and Recreation Department, said there are three ice covered bluffs climbers can conquer. Before implementing the idea for an ice park, Greedy and others tested the ice on private property to do some 'proof of idea.' They later worked with the city to do another test on public property. In 2016, they tested for erosion control and trail maintenance to make sure the bluffs could handle the wear and tear.

The ice park is the fourth to be made using farmed ice in the United States. "Essentially, it's just like you'd flood an ice rink. We take the same concept basically off of a garden hose, but this is a bigger setup. So we run an inch and a half hose," said Greedy. The temperatures need to be in the low 20s to low teens in order to ice farm. Most other ice parks are made with natural ice flows as opposed to farmed ice.

City workers and volunteers wanted to use fine mist, so they accomplished that with shower heads. "We don't have just a flow going over, but the nice mist makes its way down to the base and starts to build ice."

The Winona location is the second in Minnesota. A similar ice park is in Sandstone, Minnesota, while two other parks are in Colorado.

"It's a great way to relieve stress, kicking spikes into the ice and swinging axes." Although, Greedy says, the technique of scaling an ice covered bluff can take some getting used to. "You want to get your feet wide and heels flat so your calves don't start on fire."

If you've never ice climbed, you will want to take a guide with you. Fortunately, the 100-foot climb is a great place for beginners and is free to use.

Greedy hopes the park will attract tourists to Winona during the winter season. So far the park has had a warm reception from both those climbing the icy tower and those who are just as happy to stay on the ground.

A crisis response counseling program begins Monday at Hayfield Schools, after a 10-year-old boy died at his home unexpectedly Sunday morning. Just before 11:30 a.m., the Dodge County Sheriff's office responded to a report of a young male, found in bed unresponsive with CPR in progress. Hayfield Fire and Ambulance rushed to the scene. Lifesaving efforts were not successful. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The Olmsted County Medical Examiner's office ...

A crisis response counseling program begins Monday at Hayfield Schools, after a 10-year-old boy died at his home unexpectedly Sunday morning. Just before 11:30 a.m., the Dodge County Sheriff's office responded to a report of a young male, found in bed unresponsive with CPR in progress. Hayfield Fire and Ambulance rushed to the scene. Lifesaving efforts were not successful. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. The Olmsted County Medical Examiner's office ...

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show some officials were so concerned about the mental stability of the student accused of last month's shooting rampage at a Florida high school that they decided he should be forcibly committed. But the recommendation was never acted upon. Cruz is accused of killing 14 students and three school employees at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. In addition, 17 others were wounded.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show some officials were so concerned about the mental stability of the student accused of last month's shooting rampage at a Florida high school that they decided he should be forcibly committed. But the recommendation was never acted upon. Cruz is accused of killing 14 students and three school employees at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. In addition, 17 others were wounded.

A member of the Iowa Legislature has reunited with the daughter she released for adoption 47 years ago. On a Saturday morning this year, State Rep. Marti Anderson's phone rang, and her daughter, Shellie Price Wardlaw, was on the other line. Wardlaw tells the Des Moines Register that she found Anderson after taking a DNA test through Ancestry.com in January, which identified a maternal match. Anderson had taken the same test in December.

A member of the Iowa Legislature has reunited with the daughter she released for adoption 47 years ago. On a Saturday morning this year, State Rep. Marti Anderson's phone rang, and her daughter, Shellie Price Wardlaw, was on the other line. Wardlaw tells the Des Moines Register that she found Anderson after taking a DNA test through Ancestry.com in January, which identified a maternal match. Anderson had taken the same test in December.

If you bought a Powerball ticket in Pennsylvania for Saturday's drawing, you may be holding a piece of paper worth $457 million. Powerball officials say a single winning ticket was sold in Pennsylvania that matches all of the winning numbers: 22-57-59-60-66 and Powerball 7. The jackpot from Saturday's drawing is the eighth-largest ever for the Powerball game. The specific location where the winning ticket was sold has not been announced.

If you bought a Powerball ticket in Pennsylvania for Saturday's drawing, you may be holding a piece of paper worth $457 million. Powerball officials say a single winning ticket was sold in Pennsylvania that matches all of the winning numbers: 22-57-59-60-66 and Powerball 7. The jackpot from Saturday's drawing is the eighth-largest ever for the Powerball game. The specific location where the winning ticket was sold has not been announced.

Another explosion has been reported in Austin, Texas, and emergency officials were responding to early reports of two men injured. Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services tweeted Sunday night that an explosion in southwest Austin had injured two men in their 20s. There were preliminary reports of two possible explosions, but officials later tweeted that only one had been confirmed so far. There was no immediate word on what caused the explosion.

Another explosion has been reported in Austin, Texas, and emergency officials were responding to early reports of two men injured. Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services tweeted Sunday night that an explosion in southwest Austin had injured two men in their 20s. There were preliminary reports of two possible explosions, but officials later tweeted that only one had been confirmed so far. There was no immediate word on what caused the explosion.

Rochester police say a man was "definitely under the influence of alcohol" when he allegedly stabbed two neighbors to death at a Salvation Army apartment building. Glenn Johnson, 53, was arrested shortly after the stabbings Saturday night at Castleview Apartments as police say he tried to flee from a rear stairway. He was being held Sunday on two tentative counts of second-degree murder.

Rochester police say a man was "definitely under the influence of alcohol" when he allegedly stabbed two neighbors to death at a Salvation Army apartment building. Glenn Johnson, 53, was arrested shortly after the stabbings Saturday night at Castleview Apartments as police say he tried to flee from a rear stairway. He was being held Sunday on two tentative counts of second-degree murder.

Rochester police say a man was "definitely under the influence of alcohol" when he allegedly stabbed two neighbors to death at a Salvation Army apartment building. Glenn Johnson, 53, was arrested shortly after the stabbings Saturday night at Castleview Apartments as police say he tried to flee from a rear stairway. He was being held Sunday on two tentative counts of second-degree murder.

Rochester police say a man was "definitely under the influence of alcohol" when he allegedly stabbed two neighbors to death at a Salvation Army apartment building. Glenn Johnson, 53, was arrested shortly after the stabbings Saturday night at Castleview Apartments as police say he tried to flee from a rear stairway. He was being held Sunday on two tentative counts of second-degree murder.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show some officials were so concerned about the mental stability of the student accused of last month's shooting rampage at a Florida high school that they decided he should be forcibly committed. But the recommendation was never acted upon. Cruz is accused of killing 14 students and three school employees at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. In addition, 17 others were wounded.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show some officials were so concerned about the mental stability of the student accused of last month's shooting rampage at a Florida high school that they decided he should be forcibly committed. But the recommendation was never acted upon. Cruz is accused of killing 14 students and three school employees at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland on Feb. 14. In addition, 17 others were wounded.

Another explosion has been reported in Austin, Texas, and emergency officials were responding to early reports of two men injured. Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services tweeted Sunday night that an explosion in southwest Austin had injured two men in their 20s. There were preliminary reports of two possible explosions, but officials later tweeted that only one had been confirmed so far. There was no immediate word on what caused the explosion.

Another explosion has been reported in Austin, Texas, and emergency officials were responding to early reports of two men injured. Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services tweeted Sunday night that an explosion in southwest Austin had injured two men in their 20s. There were preliminary reports of two possible explosions, but officials later tweeted that only one had been confirmed so far. There was no immediate word on what caused the explosion.

Two people are dead in what Rochester police believe to be a double homicide. Rochester police responded to a report of a double stabbing at Castleview Apartments, located at 120 North Broadway, around 7:15 Saturday night. They found two men on the 4th floor with critical stab wounds. Both men were taken to Saint Marys Hospital where they were pronounced dead less than an hour later. An officer found a male suspect attempting to leave the building from a back stairway. He was...More >>

Two people are dead in what Rochester police believe to be a double homicide. Rochester police responded to a report of a double stabbing at Castleview Apartments, located at 120 North Broadway, around 7:15 Saturday night. They found two men on the 4th floor with critical stab wounds. Both men were taken to Saint Marys Hospital where they were pronounced dead less than an hour later. An officer found a male suspect attempting to leave the building from a back stairway. He was...More >>

(Joe Ahlquist/The Rochester Post-Bulletin via AP). Emergency personnel respond to the scene of a fatal stabbing Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Salvation Army Castleview Residence in downtown Rochester, Minn. Police have arrested a man in the multiple...

Police have arrested a man in the fatal stabbing of two men at a Salvation Army apartment building in downtown Rochester, Minnesota.More >>

Police have arrested a man in the fatal stabbing of two men at a Salvation Army apartment building in downtown Rochester, Minnesota.More >>

A member of the Iowa Legislature has reunited with the daughter she released for adoption 47 years ago. On a Saturday morning this year, State Rep. Marti Anderson's phone rang, and her daughter, Shellie Price Wardlaw, was on the other line. Wardlaw tells the Des Moines Register that she found Anderson after taking a DNA test through Ancestry.com in January, which identified a maternal match. Anderson had taken the same test in December.

A member of the Iowa Legislature has reunited with the daughter she released for adoption 47 years ago. On a Saturday morning this year, State Rep. Marti Anderson's phone rang, and her daughter, Shellie Price Wardlaw, was on the other line. Wardlaw tells the Des Moines Register that she found Anderson after taking a DNA test through Ancestry.com in January, which identified a maternal match. Anderson had taken the same test in December.

Authorities say a missing Pennsylvania teenager and a 45-year-old man who frequently signed her out of school without her parents' permission have been located in Mexico, and the man has been arrested.More >>

Authorities say a missing Pennsylvania teenager and a 45-year-old man who frequently signed her out of school without her parents' permission have been located in Mexico, and the man has been arrested.More >>